Global colonization began with Ming Dynasty pirates.

Seeing Lin Hao's gaze fixed on them, everyone, even the wounded, straightened their backs and looked straight ahead, as if they weren't the ones who had just been worried.

Lin Hao smiled at them, then pointed to the positions of the guards and said:

"A few days ago, on the Double Ninth Festival, the shameless government, in order to seize the Lin family's property, listened to the reports of petty people and actually sent government troops to confiscate the Lin family's property. It is utterly shameless."

"Fortunately, the guards risked their lives to save us, allowing the women and children of the Lin family to evacuate safely. However, 13 of our Lin family guards died in this battle, and the rest were all injured."

Among those who died in battle, some had young children crying for food, and some had elderly mothers. Their fathers and sons died for the Lin family, and the Lin family would never mistreat them.

I hereby announce that all fallen guards will receive a pension of one hundred taels from the Lin family, their children will be raised by the Lin family until adulthood, and their parents will be provided for by the Lin family until their death.

As soon as Lin Hao finished speaking, a collective gasp arose from the crowd. In this era, human life was worthless; when had anyone ever heard of such compensation for the dead?

Even the families of the fallen guards who had been invited to the scene, who were crying when Lin Hao spoke of it, all forgot how to cry when they looked at him. It wasn't that they weren't sad, but they were stunned by such a huge benefit. For a moment, sadness and joy were intertwined, and they didn't know whether to cry or laugh.

But Lin Hao didn't keep them waiting long. Soon, several teenagers stepped forward and invited the family members up.

Of the 13 guards who died in battle, only 8 had families; the others had no immediate family members. After everyone came up on stage, Lin Hao first bowed respectfully to them to express his gratitude, and then handed them wooden trays filled with silver.

"Young Master, this quantity is incorrect," Big Head said to Lin Hao with a puzzled look.

At the front of the crowd was Big Head, whose father was the head of the guards and the highest-ranking among those who died in battle. He looked at the plate in his hand with great confusion.

The plate in their house was piled high with silver, far more than the plate on the side next to it.

"There's nothing wrong with that. Your father was the leader of the Lin family's guards, protecting our Lin family for many years. If he hadn't led the charge and fought to the death, how could we have left safely? So, the compensation for your father is not one hundred taels but two hundred taels."

Lin Hao patted Da Tou on the shoulder, then said to the woman beside him, "Auntie, take the money downstairs later. Da Tou will stay upstairs; he has another portion of money to collect."

"Oh? There's more... This... This isn't very good, is it? How much is left?" The woman on the side was Big Head's mother. Hearing Lin Hao say this, she couldn't help but ask.

"Mom, don't ask, it's too embarrassing." Da Tou quickly tugged at his mother.

"Hehe, it's alright. We'll talk about it later anyway. Auntie, don't forget, Da Tou is also a member of the guards, so he naturally has his share of silver. Their share is fifty taels," Lin Hao said with a smile.

"So much!" Big Head's mother was stunned when she heard this, then overjoyed. The two together amounted to a total of two hundred and fifty taels.

"Oh, young master, you are truly a great benefactor to my family. I kowtow to you." As he said this, he was about to kneel down, and the other guards' families around him immediately followed suit.

Lin Hao was so frightened that he quickly reached out to help him up, saying, "This is unacceptable. How can you make an old man kneel before me? It's not proper."

Fortunately, Lin Hao was strong and helped the other person up in a few moments, and then helped the other family members up one by one.

"Everyone, the Lin family will not mistreat anyone who serves the Lin family. Although the pillar of your family is gone, the Lin family is still here. If you encounter any grievances in the future, just come to the Lin family, and I will still stand up for you."

Everyone was deeply moved. They had thought the sky had fallen when the man in their family died, but now they felt a sense of relief and hope for the future.

After escorting the family members off the stage, Lin Hao announced that all guards who had rendered meritorious service in the battle against the government troops on the Double Ninth Festival would be rewarded with fifty taels of silver, with an additional ten taels for those who were injured.

A cheer erupted from the audience.

"The guards of the Lin family are worth too much. We've been working here for so long, and our whole family hasn't even earned a single tael of silver. Sigh, it's infuriating to compare ourselves to others. I wonder if the Lin family is still hiring."

The villagers watching from the sidelines were thoroughly stimulated today. They had been quite proud of making a lot of money from the Lin family, but now, compared to the densely packed, dazzling pile of silver coins below the stage, something called ambition was rising in their hearts. They wanted it too.

"Wang Guangcai, don't be impulsive. Didn't you see more than a dozen people died? This is a life-threatening job. It's better for us to do odd jobs and earn some money for drinks. This life is pretty good too," a villager nearby immediately advised.

"Xiao Yi, you're right, but they gave us so much!" said Wang Guangcai, a villager, with envy.

"Don't be impulsive. Think about your family. You have three children. What will happen to them if you go? Sister-in-law, don't you think so?" Wang Xiaoyi saw that Wang Guangcai's eyes were starting to gleam with greed, so he quickly asked his wife beside him to persuade him.

"Honey, the guards are so badly injured, we can't go," Wang Guangcai's wife said, tugging at his sleeve.

"That's right, listen to your wife. It's so much better to stay home and live a peaceful life," Wang Xiaoyi said with a smile.

Hearing this, Wang Guangcai sighed. Yes, he had three children of his own. If something happened to them, how would the widow and her children survive? He immediately gave up the idea of ​​applying for the job.

"I noticed those sailors are treated quite well. They always get a share of the money when they rob a ship, and this time not a single one was killed or injured. Boss, why don't you go to the ship?"

"..."

Similar discussions continued to rise among the onlookers. If someone else had told them this, they naturally wouldn't have believed it, but with piles of hard-earned money right in front of them, who would dare not believe it, and who wouldn't be tempted?

These Chinese people have never lacked courage. Whether they will risk their lives for you depends entirely on whether it's worth it. After all, this is a place where even worshipping gods depends on whether they are effective. If they are not effective, I will not serve them anymore and will worship other gods just the same.

But similarly, as long as you give them enough rewards, these people will do anything, regardless of your background or anything else; anyone who gets in my way of making money will die.

Just as Lin Hao finished distributing all the silver and was about to leave, some villagers finally couldn't hold back any longer.

"Young Master, Eldest Young Master, is the Lin family still hiring? I, Wang Yue, am willing to serve the Lin family to the death. Please, Young Master, have the mercy to take me in."

Suddenly, a man stepped forward from the crowd and shouted loudly at the stage. He was shirtless, his muscles were taut, and he looked very strong. But what was most noticeable was his thick eyebrows, which were more than twice as thick as normal. Even from this distance, Lin Hao noticed the man's eyebrows.

"Oh no! Wang Da Mei Mao beat me to it." Wang Guangcai was immediately anxious. This Wang Yue was nicknamed Wang Da Mei Mao. He was a well-known bachelor in the village. He only had one person to feed and no one to worry about. He really didn't have anything to worry about.

Seeing the other villagers were eager to join in, Wang Guangcai gritted his teeth and immediately decided that he couldn't care less about anything else. Even if the Lin family wanted to recruit, they couldn't recruit too many people.

However, before Wang Guangcai could act, one of his companions rushed out of the crowd and, before the boys maintaining order could grab him, slid down to his knees and onto the stage.

"Young Master! I, Wang Xiaoyi, am willing to follow you in doing great things. I will go through fire and water without hesitation. Please take me in, Young Master."

Wang Guangcai was dumbfounded. Didn't this guy just tell him to calm down?

"What are you standing there for, husband? Hurry up, or it'll be too late!" Wang Guangcai's wife was stamping her feet anxiously beside him.